Mass Effect Ficlets
by KroganVanguard
Summary: Smaller than small minifills that nonetheless might entertain someone. Everything from a vanguard learning how to charge to multiplayer scenarios. Set during ME2 and ME3.
1. Need A Shotgun

_These are very small fills._

_This one was written for a prompt regarding how a VanguardShep might wake up in ME2 and discover how to Charge... _

* * *

><p>The klaxons were damn annoying. His body ached. He was thirsty. None of it made any damned sense. But mostly he just wanted a drink of water. The voice in his ear again, telling him to move, that the facility was under attack. They'd called Diego Shepard a lot of names over the years, but they'd never called him slow, and they'd never called him stupid. He moved. The armor fitted him like a second skin, he felt naked without it sometimes. He wasn't sure why'd woken up on some hospital table- wait, was it a hospital? Didn't seem like any damn hospital he'd been in before. There'd been a gun in the cupboard. What kind of hospital kept guns in the cupboard? And couldn't they have at least made sure it was a shotgun? He flared his biotics, and blue light wreathed him and a nearby chair flew across the room he crossed. Good. That still worked. The feet still worked and hands still worked and brain still worked. Hoped his dick still worked. He'd have to check that later. He wasn't sure why it still all worked, given that the last thing he remembered was free-falling into a planetary atmosphere with leaks out of his damaged suit. Was this hell? Naw. It was annoying, but it wasn't that annoying. Besides, surely the saviour of the galaxy didn't get to enjoy Satan's torments. He passed dead bodies, obviously shot up. Fires raged in other rooms. Whatever this was, it was serious.<p>

The klaxons didn't let up. At least the voice in his gave him some warning about the first mech. A couple of headshots took it down without much trouble. The old reflexes, honed to a sharp edge on Elysium, refined further against the geth, the krogan, Cerberus and whatever else had stood in his path. They came back to him without thought, another part of himself that he could always rely on. He missed his shotgun though. Missed charging forward with Wrex by his side, creating carnage. The rest of his crew had to have made it. He'd put Joker in that damn pod himself, and Ash would have got the others out. Surely. He'd have to find out. Soon.

The next room more mechs. These new-fangled thermal clips were interrupting his rhythm. He'd liked the old way better. Had its advantages though. No need for a gun to cool down, keep firing, reload, move on. Running out ammo wasn't a problem, these mechs seemed to carry plenty. He still wanted his shotgun. Wanted to hit something. Needed to hit something.

Crouched behind cover, Shepard paused. Thought. Leaned out, looked at the last mech, standing there gormlessly, spouting its platitudes at him. He'd shot it a few times already and it looked like one good hit would put it out of commission. Perfect. He just needed to make sure he ran fast. Looked at it again, visualised himself there, right in front of it, putting a fist throught its head. Visualised it again. Crouched, ready to sprint. Clenched his fists, narrowed his eyes and moved.

It happened in a split-second. One second he was behind cover, the next a sensation of blurring through space and objects and then he was smashing into the mech. He'd skipped the running. What the fuck. The mech had been driven by his impact into the opposite wall and lay in pieces around him. A blue aura faded. Had that been his biotics? Had he simply teleported? Could he do it again? He looked at the pieces of the mech around his feet. Had felt good. Yeah, he definitely needed to try that again. With a shotgun. He really wanted a shotgun. And water. And answers. But mostly a shotgun.


	2. Party Wipe

_Prompt asked for a how an asari, a human and a krogan might end up dead in a pile..._

_ Multiplayer needs more love. Set in ME3. _

* * *

><p>"Phantom! Near side, at the LZ!"<p>

Jara spun around, stasis bubble already forming in her mind. The drop had been chaotic. Noveria was a hellhole, infested with Cerberus troops, a number of which she'd never come across before. Intel briefing had been minimal, and the team had never worked together before. All in all, a recipe for disaster. Which was exactly what it was turning out to be.

Urdnot Grath was wreaking havoc downstairs but he wasn't invincible. Working from the higher ground as a sniper, the human female Fernandez was desperately trying to keep people alive with timely medigel delivery under cloak when required. The fourth member of their team, a talented but cocky human engineer whose name Jara had forgotten, had been caught in a turret crossfire 3 attacks ago. The poor boy hadn't stood a chance.

There was certainly a fresh Cerberus wave coming in at the LZ. Jara left the trooper for the deadly eye and trigger finger of Fernandez, and focussed on the Phantom and Engineers, locking them down with her biotic stasis bubble and following up with Carnifex headshots. They didn't go down easy, but they did go down.

"Grath, need help?"

"No! They send only the weaklings downstairs!"

Jara felt rather than saw another Phantom sneaking around the back and turned to face the creature, that was moving in such an acrobatic manner that even the drell were put to shame. Her bubble was slow in coming, and she could feel herself slowing down in reaction time as the fight wore on, even by milliseconds. It still managed to catch the foul creature though, and then her pistol spat fire at it.

"Atlas...2 Atlases. Downstairs and coming up." Grath's voice was fury barely controlled, but he maintained the battlesense to let his squad know what was happening. Jara nodded once to Fernandez, motioning her downstairs. The massive Widow rifle she carried would be the only way to put those mechs down without using up more of their precious supply of missiles.

"Oh fuck! Oh fuckfuckityfuckshitcunt! Three Phantoms. Grath, get out of there, I'm using a mis-!" Fernandez cut out mid-sentence. Jara was up and moving immediately, ignoring the fresh wave of Centurions and Assault Troopers landing at the LZ. There odds of a successful extraction were already low. If it turned into just her and Grath, they would plummet to low that did not bear thinking about.

"Grath, I'm coming to give Fernandez medi-gel. Cover me as best as you can. Do not die to a Phantom."

"Hurry up asari. Any more of them come in here and I'll...have to think about retreating."

She sprinted down the stairs, her throat burning. She wasn't young like a maiden any more and while her work as a justicar ensured she knew how to fight, this was as bad as a situation as she'd ever been in. Hunting Ardat-Yakshi would be easier. Fernandez's body lay at the bottom of the stairs, barely breathing. Grath was drawing some fire but two Assault troopers were just about on top of her. Behind them, a cloud of smoke obscured things. A stasis bubble instantly formed around the troopers but as she knelt to apply the medi-gel an ominous whirring sound came through the smoke. Turret deploying. By the Goddess, could things just slow down for a moment.

"Grath! Turret. I don't know where. Come back to the stairs and cover me."

The turret started spitting bullets as Jara brought Fernandez to her feet, and Grath came stomping out of the smoke, covered in blood- hopefully mostly others. The three of them started retreating back up the stairs together. A grenade bouncing down halted them and as a trio the reversed direction. Into the smoke but it couldn't be helped. As soon as Jara saw the first waiting Phantom Jara her bubble was forming to trap it. It was already too late. The turret spat out rounds that chewed through her barrier and then her faster than she could think, and Grath was fractionally slow headbutting the Phantom he had chosen as a target. She dropped, spun and then artfully placed her sword directly through his vital organs. A few times.

Things were already going dark. A memory of her mother flashed by, holding her hand on the way to school on Thessia. Her first bondmate, who had died during the Rachni Wars. Her second, a turian she'd met while fighting during the Krogan Rebellions. Her eldest daughter graduating from university. Her second, whose salarian father had been the most intelligent being she'd ever met, completing her studies in record time (for an asari).

The world was fading. Sound was fading. Darkness draped over her. Something landed on top of her. A body? Fernandez? Jara closed her eyes and let her memories take her...


	3. Babysitter

_Prompt about Aethyta as a grandparent. Set post-ME3 is a some fluffy happy-ending AU. MShep/Liara._

* * *

><p>"You know kid, you're a natural born headbutter. 18th krogan, and your daddy headbutts krogan for fun. Its all in the neck. Don't worry, I'll teach you the technique when you get older." The baby in her lap giggled, reaching out with soft blue hands to play with her necklace. Aethyta smiled down at her granddaughter, and rocked her gently with her legs. Nezzy was a little darker than her mother, and her markings were still coming in, but she was still absolutely gorgeous with playful grey eyes that roved constantly.

"Liara wouldn't be happy to hear something like that." Aethyta looked up to see Shepard standing in the doorway. His bright green eyes danced with amusement, softening into love as he looked at his daughter. He had allowed his chestnut brown hair to grow out a little from its standard military crop, and his slightly hooked nose and too-strong jaw stopped him from being classically handsome, but Aethyta could see what Liara saw in him. Not to mention that ass.

"What the girl doesn't know won't hurt her. Besides Shepard, she's your daughter. If I don't teach her these basic skills in life, it'll just fall on you eventually," she replied tartly. "She'll be a troublemaker, and heartbreaker and she'll give you both sleepless nights aplenty." Aethyta raised the child her arms up to her eye level and leaned into nuzzle her stomach. "You will, Nezzy, won't you. Just like your grandmother. Yes you will."

"Are you ready, dear?" Liara's voice sang out from the upper floor of their house. Aethyta saw Shepard glance down at his gleaming shoes, the crisp edges of his uniform, the medals catching his daugher's attention as she turned towards him in her lap, arms outstretched. He walked towards her, unable to resist the need to hold his daughter. She crawled into his arms from Aethyta's lap as he crouched down, and immediately start chewing on one of his medals.

"Yes. Downstairs with your father and daughter. We're all waiting for you," he replied patiently, smoothing one hand over Nezzy's scalp crests.

"You two enjoy tonight. Having a baby can sap the passion from any relationship. I hope you booked hotel room for the night." Aethyta projected practicality itself, but she couldn't stop the hint of a smile from playing over her lips.

"I have, and Liara's the one to get all flustered by mentions of sex remember," he replied dryly. He always had been more difficult to get a rise out of than Liara. "Thanks again for coming by to babysit."

"Bah, spending more time with my granddaughter? What kind of grandfather would I be to turn down a chance for that?" She waved away his thanks airily. "Maybe you two could work on making another tonight?"

"Father!" Unseen by both Shepard and Aethyta, Liara now stood at the doorway. Shepard took a minute to drink in the sight of his bondmate, looking stunning in a long black dress that contrasted perfectly with her pale blue skin. Her eyes swivelled from Aethyta to her daughter, shedding the light glare in the process. Nezzy tried to climb out of Shepard's arms towards her mother, and he gently held her back before walking over to Liara. Aethyta felt a warm glow settle over her as she watched the three of them, Liara and Shepard sharing a quick kiss as he transferred Nezzy to her. They fit together so comfortably, like they had meant to be together, basking in the hard-fought peace they had won for the sake of Nezzy and the children like her.

"Alright, time for you two to go. I know they won't start without their guests of honour, but don't keep the dalatrasses and matriarchs waiting too long. Those biddies will get bored and start plotting and then Shepard will have to become a hero again." Aethyta walked over to her daughter and her bondmate and retrieved their child back into her arms. They started moving towards to the door.

"Call my omni-tool any time father, and make sure she gets to bed and-," Liara's voice had that same nervous tone all young mothers had throughout the galaxy before Aethyta cut her off.

"Alright young lady, I've been raising asari children longer than you've been alive." She smiled to take the edge out of her words, and Shepard grinned as he hustled Liara towards the waiting car.

Aethyta shut the door using her biotics and brought Nezzy back inside, the baby's eyes goggling wide at the blue aura that just enveloped them.

"Ah you like that did you? Well, maybe I'll show you how to make a singularity today..."


	4. Rare Combination Minifills

_Exactly what it says on the tin. KMeme anons prompt rare ships and combinations for minifills. My stab at a few of them. _

* * *

><p><strong>Kal'ReegarFemShep- Wanting**

"Kal."

"Ma'am."

She looked at him. Broad shoulders tapering down into a muscular chest, the stance confident without being too aggressive. His voice sent shivers down her spine, promising torment and ecstasy that she had denied herself for too long. That command had denied her. Long, deft fingers that had would feel perfect tracing her skin, her body. His eyes glinted behind that mask, and she wanted to believe they reflected the heat she felt. Many had wanted her, but she had rarely felt the reciprocal desire. She felt it now, burning through her body, fuelled by the fact she had spent at least the last 10 minutes staring at his long legs and strong thighs. Ones that would feel perfect around hers. She wondered what kind of nerve stimulators the male quarians had built into their suits. Almost unconsciously, she smiled at him, running her tongue over her lips. Commander Shepard always got what she wanted. And she really wanted this.

"No, Kal. Call me Jane."

* * *

><p><strong>GabbyKen- Knowing**

Gabby doesn't know what the world they are on is called. She doesn't know whether Shepard is alive or dead. She doesn't know what happened to the mass relays or how Joker managed to fly and land the Normandy after that. She doesn't know if the Reapers are dead, or if they won. She battered, bruised, and just about barely alive. Her ribs throb with pain and she's got blood on her uniform. She doesn't know if its hers or someone else's. All she knows is that when she came to, Ken was leaning over her, emotions running through his eyes. Fear. Pain. Hope. Love. She doesn't know what the future holds for them. But she does know one thing. That they're not going to waste another second. She reaches up, grabs his shirt, and pulls him down to her lips. She knows they've got each other.

* * *

><p><strong>GarrusTali- Interested?**

Tali tries to look completely innocent when she leaves the ship on the Citadel. Shepard is busy in a meeting, Liara bunkered down in her room, Ash already getting drunk with some old military comrades and Vega's skinning money off people who can afford it. No one's really there. She tries anyway. She tells Adams she's off to look at engineering surplus parts, and tells EDI to notify her immediately if Shepard calls. Under the faceplate, she's blushing. Garrus left with Shepard, but the message that had popped up on her omni-tool had been terse and to the point.

"You. Me. Possibly the last empty hotel room on the Citadel. Few free hours. Interested?"

Oh yes, she was definitely interested. Thankfully Chakwas had asked no question when she'd asked for those immuno-boosters last week. She knows she'll get sick. She knows it'll be worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>TaliEmily Wong- Happiness**

Tali isn't sure when she first thought the petite, dark-haired reporter was pretty. But the full-blown crush had come during the first interview, after Saren had been defeated. Every time she wrote a comment or tucked back her hair or even smiled encouragingly, Tali's heart skipped a beat. She surprises even herself when at the end, she asks whether Emily is free for dinner tonight. And is doubly surprised when Emily says yes.

Her heart hammers even faster when she approaches Emily at the restaurant, their hands lingering on each other after they hug. She catches Emily's eyes on her hips, the heated looks they exchange coming faster and faster. After, when they're out dancing, when Emily's hands are roving her body, when she's losing herself to the music and when she's the happiest she has ever been, all Tali can think is to thank Keelah she came her on her Pilgrimage. And then she's not thinking at all but surrendering to sensation and to Emily.

* * *

><p><strong>LiaraEDI- Experiment**

Liara expects to taste metal. Its not logical, as EDI has already explained, but Liara expects it anyway. Instead her lips and her tongue find the texture of EDI's lips somewhat soft, somewhat rubbery. Not quite organic, but not quite synthetic either. As her hands wander down EDI's back, she finds her fingers gripping not quite skin tightly. The kiss deepens. EDI's tongue duels with hers, their heads tilted at cross-angles, Liara propped up on a bench in her room and EDI standing between her legs, working one thigh into her azure, causing delicious friction to play out there. This experiment is getting out of hand, but Liara is enjoying it too much to want to stop, as heat pools between her thighs and she grows increasingly wet. Now EDI's eases a palm across her breasts, causing her to moan. The capacity for coherent thought is fading.

"Dr. T'soni, your physiological indicators for sexual stimulation are high. Your objections regarding a lack of arousal with regards to this unit are no longer valid."

"Just...don't...stop, EDI!"


	5. Rare Combination Minifills 2

_Same as previous chapter. Rare combinations are prompted, and I give them a go._

* * *

><p><strong>SarenAsh**

**One Goal**

Every time she looks through the scope of her sniper rifle she sees him in the crosshairs. Whenever she's working out in the makeshift gym, fists pounding the punching bag, she imagines its him. Whenever she puts on her armour to go with Shepard in their next mission, she hopes he'll be there. Eden Prime had been her home. She had been given a duty to protect those people. The hate in her heart had hardened when the Council had let him off scott-free. An ugly tide of exultation had overcome her when Shepard had been chosen for Spectre status to chase him down. She dreams about killing him. About putting a high-explosive round through his forehead. About putting her shotgun next to his chest, and pulling the trigger. Its re-doubled on Virmire, when Shepard doubles back to save her and make sure the bomb goes off. Kaidan's name goes to the top of the list of reasons. Shepard's out to save the galaxy. Ashley has no such great pretensions. She just wants to kill Saren.

**The Prisoner**

The first time she comes to, she doesn't know where she is. It sinks in slowly. Going black on Virmire. Shepard running back for the lieutenant. The dark and brooding atmosphere of the cell she's in. Her injuries attended to. Saren's presence. When he walks into her cell, she throws herself at him, aiming punches at his head. He casually uses his biotics to render her helpless. He sits by her side, trying to convince her to join him. She struggles to ignore him. His talons stroke her thighs, his voice settles into her chest. The next time she wakes up, there's an itch at the back of her skull, one she can't scratch. Shepard isn't coming for her. He doesn't even know she's alive. She's never felt so helpless in her life. Saren's there again, soothing her, calming her, helping her. This time, what he's saying makes a little more sense. The buzz that she's started hearing won't go away. She looks forward to Saren's visits now. She's even starting to find him a little handsome. Maybe, maybe there's a better way. Maybe, she could convince Shepard of that. They'll leave for Ilos soon. Ash even looks forward to it, a little.

* * *

><p><strong>WrexVictus**

**Old Foes**

"Victus."

"Wrex."

Wrex stares at the turian impassionately. He had come to the mess at night, expecting it to be empty. Instead, he'd found the Primarch there, presumably with the same idea. The Normandy was muted during off-shift, just barely humming in the background. They hadn't spoken since Shepard had returned from Tuchanka with news about the bomb...and about Tarquin Victus and his heroics. Wrex could barely imagine what it might be like to have a son, let alone what it might have been like to lose him like that. Even though he knew it wasn't Victus at fault, he was still simmering with anger over the bomb. Still...

"I was sorry to hear about your son. He died doing the right thing."

"A small comfort, let me assure you." The turian's voice was quiet, laced with regret and sorrow.

"No doubt. Nevertheless, the krogan people appreciate his sacrifice." Wrex's voice rumbled with compassion. A krogan showing compassion to a turian. It was a strange new galaxy they were forging. Vakarian wasn't so bad. Maybe Victus wasn't either. Wrex sat down across for him.

* * *

><p><strong>ChakwasKelly**

**Comfort**

She knew they didn't have any future. She knew it was simply a reaction to what they'd suffered through together. It didn't matter. It was the only thing that let her sleep at night. She couldn't believe how fast the ship had gone back to seemingly normal. Shepard discussing their next move with Miranda and Garrus. Jacob and Zaeed sparring in the cargo bay. Joker and EDI flirting in the cockpit. It was like the Collector Base had been a giant delusion. She'd plastered on her fake smile, read Shepard's mail and continued to do her job. But when she went off-shift, when all she had was the company of her own head...she couldn't stop shaking. She couldn't sleep. She had gone to the doctor for medication. Instead they had spent the night talking and drinking. They were both suffering the same aftermath. Karin had spoken of her fear. Of her faith in Shepard. Of the relief that had overwhelmed her when he arrived, so much so she had barely managed a run on the way back to the Normandy. Kelly had spoken of her nightmares, of her need to do something more with her life, of her dissatisfaction with Cerberus.

In the midst of that, she had started noticing Karin's lips, her stately silver hair, her elegant wrinkles. How safe she made Kelly feel. How she offered an anchor. They were drunk then, which made her bold. Made her lean in towards the older woman, who reciprocated. The kiss was soft, warm, comforting. Afterwards, for the first time since they came back, Kelly slept soundly in Karin's arms. She knew it wouldn't last. But she needed it for now, and it was enough.

* * *

><p><strong>HackettJack/Garrus**

**Keeping Vigil**

Hackett finally found a free moment to come by on the 3rd day. Two of his crew were sitting by his side. Two of them were always sitting by his side, Hackett had heard. Today it Garrus, the turian the admiral had always respected, and Jack, whose cadre of biotic students had won a lot of praise from the rest of the ground forces. At another time it might Liara and Ashley. Or Samara and EDI. Or Miranda and Vega. But there were always two of them there, making sure that he was never alone. That wouldn't wake up to an empty room. Hackett stood at the doorway for a minute, watching. Garrus stood by the window, back to the door, deep in though. Jack was sitting by his side, murmuring softly (reading something? Poetry?), and holding his hand. He looked like death warmed over. Scarred, burnt, barely kept alive by the few machines in his body still ticking over. Barely alive when he'd been found in the rubble, and not much better now. Hackett cleared his throat as he stepped in, and the two of them turned to face him.

"Still holding on?"

"You know Shepard, he'll never give up." Garrus replied firmly.

"And we won't give up on him. He'll pull through. He has to pull through."

Hackett felt a lump in his throat. Such love. Such loyalty. Instinctively, he pulled himself into a fierce salute. Shepard would just have to come back to return it.


	6. Into The Dark

**KMeme Prompt:  
><strong>

_In the escape pod_

_First request and probably doing it wrong. I've read so many fics of how the crew reacts when they find out that Shepard is dead, but I want to know what goes through Joker's head when he's in the escape pod and has just witnessed his Commander get spaced._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Into The Dark<strong>_

"Shit. No. Shit no. Shitshitshitfuckingno!"

The acceleration of the pod presses him back into the seat, threatening to snap bones if it hits any debris or makes violent moves. He doesn't care about that. He doesn't care about anything except that Shepard wasn't in the pod when the _Normandy_ had broken up. The pod is bare but for seats, emergency rations and a transponder. No active communication devices, not even a primitive radio. No way for him to tell anyone, not that there was anyone to tell anyway. The rest of the crew are in their pods, similarly locked into helplessness.

_Except…except they aren't the reason Shepard's dead_.

The thought floats in his mind, and he struggles to comprehend it. Shepard. Shepard couldn't die. Shepard was larger than life. Shepard who did his best work in close with a shotgun. Who raced Wrex to be the first to blast a rachni in the face. Shepard, who laughed at death in the face every time he put on his armour. Shepard was the first human Spectre. Shepard went to toe to toe with alien machine gods that destroyed entire civilizations and won. Shepard was the saviour of the fucking galaxy. Shepard was the best humanity had to offer.

_It was my fault._

He had known that the ship was doomed. Known and fought on anyway. Stupidly. He was just a pilot, not God. Surviving against that monstrous cruiser was impossible. Shepard had known. Shepard had ordered the evacuation. Shepard had come for him. Shepard, who'd never leave a crew member behind. Not after Virmire. He'd stayed in the pilot's seat anyway, fighting a doomed battle, ignoring common sense, till Shepard had come. And now, because of his stupidity, his stubbornness, Shepard was dead. They could rebuild the _Normandy_. They couldn't rebuild Shepard. A small drop of wetness forms at the corner of his eye. He wipes it roughly away.

_It should be me_

Who was he anyway. Some stupid pilot jock from Tiptree with brittle bones. Not Shepard. Not the best the galaxy had to offer. Not the man that would be required in the coming days and years. Not the man who could unite the galaxy to face the greatest threat they'd ever known. Not the man who'd got human, asari, turian, krogan and quarian to work together in the space of a few scant weeks. Not the man who'd had the audacity to jump across the galaxy in a poor man's tank. Not the best captain he'd ever had. Not the bravest man he'd ever known. Not Shepard. More tears form, and again he wipes them away.

_Everyone will have to be told_

Garrus will go stony-faced. Wrex will be disbelieving. Tali will go quiet, retreat into her shell. Ashley will want to shoot something…hopefully him. And Liara. Liara will be heartbroken. Those beautiful blue eyes will well with tears as they shone with laughter and love in Shepard's arms just hours ago. Shepard's mother. The rest of the crew. Anderson. Hackett. None of them will lay the blame on him, not like he deserves. His guilt will be a personal burden. He will bear it because he knows. He is responsible for Shepard's death.

And as the pod presses on into the reaches of space, Joker stops fighting his tears, and they trail down his face. In utter silence, in utter desolation, its lone occupant wracked with sobs, the pod presses on into the dark.


	7. Rare Combination Minifills 3

****_Same deal as before. Rare pair combinations prompted by the KMeme. Filled here. _

* * *

><p><strong>JackThane**

**Someone's Siha**

It isn't till after they come back through the Omega Relay that she brings it up. They're doing some maintenance work down in cargo bay together, where the Oculus had wreaked havoc when she surprises even herself by speaking.

"So, what the fuck is that Siha shit you throw around Shepard. It mean babe in lizard or something?"

He turns to look at her, regarding her coolly. That look in his eyes is enough to remind her that he is one of the galaxy's most successful assassins. She's no shrinking violet, but still...probably best to remain in his good books. At least for the next 12 months.

"It is an endearment of sorts, yes. You are on the path to understanding Jack, but you are not there yet. If you keep growing under Shepard's tutelage, as well all are doing, even I, then you will be worthy of the title some day. Just as Shepard is my siha, you will become someone else's."

She doesn't know why, but she blushes at that, just a little. Fucking lizard.

* * *

><p><strong>KaidanAshley**

**The Massage**

"Ohh yeah, eltee, that's the spot right there. Work it." Ash sort of semi-moans as she speaks, and Kaidan has no choice but to look up and glance around the empty cargo bay in the off-shift. No one's there but Wrex (rumbled snores in the far corner), and the two of them. She had wrenched her shoulder and back going toe-to-toe against a Thorian creeper, and he'd innocently offered a massage. This was not what he had intended.

She lay on the bench below him, topless with her back to him, broad-shouldered and muscles gleaming. His fingers pressed into hard flesh, the scent of her shampoo drifting up to him. Navy standard suddenly felt like expensive aphrodisiac. He felt her relax more under his ministrations, and he can't suppress a momentary flash of pride. While Shepard spends all his free time hanging around Liara's office, Kaidan has found himself more and more taken with woman they'd rescued back on Eden Prime. The way she can shoot the head of a husk at double the range he can. The way she takes no shit from anyone, and isn't afraid to disagree with her CO if she has her reasons.

"Ahhh, you got magic hands, eltee." Another semi-moan brings him back into the present. She's turned her head to the side, closed her eyes and has pleased smile on her face. He adjusts his pants slightly, trying to make it less obvious why they're tight, when she opens her eyes and looks straight at his groin. Then there's a lazy, lustful smirk on her face as she meets his semi-panicked eyes.

"I say eltee, I don't usually fraternize up the chain of command," her voice was smoky, and he felt his blood throb through his veins, "but I look forward to breaking the regs with you, sometime."

It wasn't a question, but an assertion and Kaidan didn't doubt he'd go along when she decided it was time. He lets himself smile at the thought, back at her.

"Look forward to it...Ash."

* * *

><p><strong>KolyatTali**

**Enough For Now**

She spots him at Thane's funeral, sitting apart from the rest of the crowd. Even though she's never met him before, he's the only other drell and the youngest person there as well. He's praying, so she stands slightly behind him and waits. On the other side of the aisle, Shepard and Garrus swap stories about Thane's prowess and what he taught them, about how he almost stopped Kai Leng in his tracks. Vega looks disbelieving.

"You're Tali'Zorah? My father spoke of you, sometimes." His voice is soft, tinged with sorrow.

"Yes. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am. Thane and I...spoke sometimes. About you. About my father. About fathers in general." Her voice is soft in turn, and she places a three-fingered hand on his shoulder, squeezes gently.

"I only wish he had come back to my life sooner." He gets up and turns to face her. "I want to get out of here. Please." She can't resist the plea in his voice, and they sneak away out of a side door.

"Thane loved you. He came back for you. He found a road back to you from a life of war and death. My father...couldn't manage the same." They walk side by side, arms occasionally brushing, looking for a bar where they can both get a drink.

Later, she wakes up in his arms. Shared grief, shared fear, shared memories aren't enough for a relationship. But its enough for tonight. Its enough for now.

* * *

><p><strong>FemShepAshley**

**Shepard's Fear**

"My mother wants to meet you."

They're lying in bed, sweat cooling, muscles relaxed and skin still tingling from that post-sex comedown. Jane has her arm around her, tracing faint patterns in her skin, but stiffens suddenly at Ash's statement. Ash smiles. Shepard is fearless in the face of a Reaper or a horde of husks, but whenever she mentions matriarch of the Williams clan, her lover suddenly gets nervous.

She rolls over to look Jane in the eye, brushing dark brown hair behind her ears. They're both professional soldiers, lean and hard women, and Ash loves to trace out the ridges defined in Jane's stomach, occasionally with her tongue, just now with the tip of her fingers.

"You scared, skipper?" She keeps her tone light, but looks into Jane's green eyes as she speaks.

"No. Maybe. I don't know." She rarely shows such vulnerability, and Ash feels a fierce joy in her heart that Jane opens up to her like this.

"Relax. My sisters love you. Abby's convinced you need a corset for your next birthday. Sarah appreciated you came to the memorial service. My mom knows you avoided her that day." Jane guiltily looks away, and Ash grins again. Jane has many great qualities, and being painfully honest is right at the top of the list.

"I just...what if she doesn't like me? Like us?" There's a hint of fear in her voice, and Ash plants a soothing kiss on Jane's belly button. She knows that her lover is skittish about families. Growing up without one on the streets of Earth has definitely left its mark.

"She'll like you. She'll love you. She can't not."

"And she won't...she won't mind that I'm a woman?"

Ash can't help letting a chuckle escape, even though Jane's eyes are hooded with genuine worry.

"Relax, skipper. She's religious, not a bigot. I'm a big girl, and bringing home my badass saviour-of-the-galaxy girlfriend will only add to my brownie points."

Shepard does relax. The tension that had set into her shoulders at the start of the conversation flows out, and she pulls at Ash's shoulders and meets her halfway for a kiss. Lips meet softly, then the kiss builds, tongues dancing, and Ash runs her thumb over one of Jane's nipples, suddenly hard and then two of them are lost in each other, all thoughts and fears and nerves left far behind.

* * *

><p><strong>GarrusAsh**

**The Bet**

"Heard you had a little competition with Shepard today?" Her innocent tone doesn't fool Garrus, and he turns to face her, leaning back against his console.

"Yeah. Now I got my favourite spot on the Citadel. Shepard saves the galaxy, but I'm the best damn shot on the Normandy." He preens only a little bit, mandibles quirking, flicking a little bit of dust away from the left shoulder of his armour in an universal sign.

"Oh reeeaaaaaally? Shepard spends most of her time charging things in the face and shooting them with a shotgun. Not exactly a marksman." The challenge in her voice is unmistakable, laced with a hint of humour, and something else. Smokier.

"Time and place, Williams. You, me, a couple of Vipers. Lets settle this." He lets his confidence show. She doesn't back down. He knew she wouldn't.

"Lets make it interesting. Put your money where your mouth is, Vakarian."

"Money?" Oh shit, there's his mouth, running away from him again.

"Why soldier, you got something else in mind?" Their eyes lock. His spine sort of...freezes over. He vows to himself to win this little competition. He always did like to savour the last shot before the popping the heatsink after all.


	8. Rare Combination Minifills 4

_Rarepair Minifills. You know the drill. Reviews are the most wonderful thing in the world for any writer._**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>VegaAethyta**

_His Fault_

It was Shepard who spotted them first, over his newly-bonded mate's shoulder. His eyes went fractionally wide and he stilled the turn he was about to do, keeping her back to the sight as they danced...well swayed softly to the music. Instead he caught her eyes and murmured gently.

"Don't look behind you now. Don't turn around. Your dad is basically molesting Vega at the back of the dance floor."

Her pale blue hands tightened reflexively on his back, and he held back a wince. His wife had quite a reservoir of strength when she needed it. Aethyta's hands were in the back pockets of Vega's pants, tightly gripping his ass. Near enough to him in height, her lips moulded aggressively to his, so much so that it was her head bent into towards him and his neck tilting back. Shepard looked away, any sight at all was better than seeing his father-in-law getting it on with one of his groomsmen. He doubted there was enough alcohol in the galaxy to make him forget the sight.

"This is your fault, John." Liara poked a finger at his chest, emphasising exactly whose fault she thought it was. He snorted, then shrugged his shoulders.

"How exactly? I mean, besides generally, now that we're married and I'm at fault for things. How specifically is this my fault?" He followed his words with a quick kiss, her lips reluctant to let him go.

"Because it was your idea to have a wedding and invite all our friends and get them drunk and put Vega in that suit in front of my father, which is basically like putting a wounded baby deer in front of a hungry lion. So there. Your fault."

"Yes dear."

* * *

><p><em>The Morning After<em>

He woke up to a headache that felt like someone was driving stakes into his skull, a mouth drier than the Sahara desert and a general aching soreness in his body that was akin to what he'd felt like after the first day of N7 training. An unfamiliar weight lay curled half on top of him, half around his side. It was like a flashback to his early twenties, but worse. He'd never woken up with his friend's father-in-law naked in his bed before. Images of the night before flitted through his mind. The shots he'd done with Loco. Sparks challenging him to a drinking contest. Flirting with the blonde bartender till he'd felt a hand squeezing his ass. Their first, sloppy drunken kiss, Aethyta pushing him up against the wall. Dirty dancing, her hands teasing, her breath warm in his ear. Escaping the festivities to his hotel room, where she froze him in place with a stasis, then stripped him slowly and surely, using her hands and mouth, unwrapping him like he was a present. Her atop him, riding him, directing him. They'd escaped with a bottle of tequila, which they used to body shots and then more. He was already semi-hard with morning wood, and twitched involuntarily from the memories.

Loco was going to kill him. Vega would prefer that, at least he'd make it quick and painless. The doc would have him kidnapped and tortured, cut him up and bury the body parts on a hundred different worlds. He eyed his clothes, flung in various parts of the room, plotting the quickest course that would have him dressed and at the door. Next to him, Aethyta stirred, one hand on his stomach drifting downwards...

"Yer not thinking of going anywhere babe." There was no question in her husky growl, just a statement of fact. "You still owe me one or two from last night."

That he did. He slid down the bed a bit, hands reaching for her body.

Ah fuck it. There were worse reasons to die at the hands of the Shadow Broker.

* * *

><p><strong>LegionTali**

_The First Conversation_

"Creator Tali'Zorah."

"Legion." She paused at the entrance to the AI hub, and the geth platform looked at her almost inquisitively, headplates slightly flared. "I had some questions. About Rannoch." She didn't even know she had been holding a breath till after she let it out.

"Shepard-Commander has spoken to you of our conversation, then?" It waved her in with a traditional quarian gesture of welcome, at once jarring and familiar. She considered the distinctly quarian shape of the platform as she walked past it, broad-shouldered and narrow-hipped like quarian men. It was quite aesthetically-pleasing, if she remembered to hold her prejudices to one side. Despite Shepard's urgings, that wasn't easy.

"Yes. Shepard told me to come to speak to you. She was...adamant." Tali didn't offen argue with Shepard, whom she considered an older sister of sorts, but she'd dug in on the issue of the possibility of holding talks with Legion in particular and the geth in general. Shepard had persisted, even after they had come back from Omega, and like the ocean lapping at a boulder, worn her down. So here she was, talking to a geth platform, instead of trying to hack it or kill it.

"What would you like to know, Creator Tali'Zorah?" It stared at her, headplates flaring and falling in quick succession. She stared down at its hands, three-fingered like a quarian. Then one of the fingers rotated briefly in a 360-degree arc, like no quarian finger could. She tried to imagined the original design engineers, working to a requirememnt for best functionality. Tali would bet they could never have imagined the outcome of their work.

"Tell me what it's like. Rannoch. What does it look like? What does it...feel like?" Her voice hitched, despite her best efforts. There was hope in her voice, despite her best efforts.

* * *

><p><strong>JokerLiara**

_A Very Good Information Broker_

He was just checking over the rebalanced cruise stability of the Normandy, EDI quietly assisting as he felt how the ship responded, how it moved to his commands when he heard her voice. The quietly calm words dripped through him like warm honey, and he struggled with an initial impulse to simply turn around, leap out of his chair and hug her.

"Hello, Joker."

He swivelled his chair to face her instead, making sure he was wearing the traditional sardonic grin, and winked at her beautiful baby blue eyes.

"Hey, Liara. How's it going? Embraced eternity lately?"

He wanted to see that flare of disappointment in her eyes. wanted to see her step back. He was good at masking his own feelings with sarcasm, and deflecting others' attentions with humour. Two years ago, it had been easy to crush that bloom of attraction in his heart when he'd met her. He had ignored the skip of his heart as she had become a vital part of Shepard's team. He had ruthlessly turned away all feelings of jealousy every time he'd heard that she'd melded with Shepard, even if it had been only for the mission. She wouldn't want anything to do with him, a crippled pilot from back of beyond. Not her, the smart, tough, gorgeous asari. Now standing in his cockpit, she'd added sophisticated to that description, her coat and armour still matted with Mars dust and ripped in places. Still sexy. Always sexy.

"No. But I've doing some reading on humans. I know why you're asking." She stepped forward, her blue eyes warm yet determined. He felt his throat close, snappy comeback dying as his brain fogged.

"Sometimes, humans use sarcasm as a defence mechanism. Sometimes, they pretend they're searching for pornography when they're searching for information on asari customs and mating rituals. Sometimes, they write a letter a thousand times over and delete it in fear. Sometimes they find themselves defined by a disease they have rather than for a person they are."

She very deliberately stood in front of him, and took his hands in hers, removing them from his lap. His eyes were locked on to hers, frozen in fear and in hope. Slowly she settled onto him, legs draping over the side of his.

"Sometimes, they flirt with their sentient AIs and not the woman they actually want due to a fear of rejection. Nope, actually only one person I know does that." Her lips were next to his, her breath warm and those blue eyes stared right at him. Through him. Blinked once slowly as she leaned in to press her lips against his. That first touch broke whatever spell he had been under, and suddenly his hands were on her as he was kissing her back, lips and then tongues meeting and dancing in desperation.

"How did you know?" He leaned back for a second to meet her eyes, and entwined his fingers through hers, blue and slightly scaly skin heavenly against his. He was never going to stop touching her. Ever.

"Oh, Joker." Her smile was radiant, and he drank in the sight of those eyes dancing with joy. At him. For him. "I'm a very good information broker."

* * *

><p><strong>KaidanAsh**

_The Compass_

She sensed it was him even before the door slid open as she stared out of the window at the stars that streaked by. She didn't know how. It could've been Shepard, making the rounds on the night before. It could've been Garrus, though from the guilty way she'd spotted Tali sneaking towards the main battery earlier, he'd be busy. Could've been Vega or Chakwas or Javik. But no, she'd known it'd be him. He was standing at the doorway still, since she'd not heard him come closer.

"You gonna stand there all night, Major?" She spoke to the window. Didn't look at him. Ignored the sigh, and the way his eyes would be drooping slightly at the corners.

"Will you look at me, Ash?" His voice was gentle. She bit her lip as her thoughts chased themselves inside her head, but she turned to face him. His salt-and-pepper hair. The broad shoulders. The look in his eyes.

"We should talk." His voice left no room for argument. She could understand why he would no longer brook any excuses. The jump to Earth was but hours away. They might not survive any longer.

She looked over his shoulder. Meeting those eyes was dangerous. She had worked hard to avoid him in the last few months. Difficult, on a ship the size of the Normandy. Luckily Shepard still had her wits about her, and didn't take them out together.

"About?" She tried to keep her tone light, but it was an effort doomed to failure.

"Us."

"There is no us, Kaidan. You made sure of that when you walked out on...the Alliance to go back to Shepard. To work with Cerberus." Even now, she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her tone.

"You meant us, Ash. You think I walked out on us." He had always been perceptive.

"You left." This time she did meet his eyes, letting the hurt she still felt shine through.

"I wanted you to come with me. Shepard needed us both." She shook her head at his words. Meeting Shepard on Horizon had been a hammerblow. Finding her working with Cerberus had turned joy to despair. As soon as she'd asked them to come back, they had argued. All day and all night, till he'd packed his bags, sent his resignation letter to Anderson, and told Shepard he was coming. Her heart had broken. Was still broken.

"You wanted to go with Shepard..." Her voice was a whisper.

"No! I wanted to stay with you! But I needed to go with Shepard. To fight the Collectors." He came and stood next to her at the window, now staring out of it himself. "I almost came back when you wrote to me. I was thinking about you when we jumped through the Omega Relay. All I ever wanted to do was to survive so I could come back to you."

"I tried to come see you on Earth. Hackett told me no. He said it would taint my testimony to the board." She couldn't help herself. She leaned into him, shoulder-to-shoulder. "But then, after, you and Shepard..."

"Shepard? Fuck Shepard. She's like my older sister. I want you Ash. I always have." He turned to her, warm hands turning her face towards his. "I've always preferred Donne myself. We're a compass. Even when we were apart, you were with me. It might well be my last night alive. I had already had one of those. I spent it thinking about you. Not this time. This time I want to be with you." Their lips met, and she put her arms around his back as the kiss deepened. She wouldn't ever let him go again.


	9. Rare Combination Minifills 5

**Garrus/Liara**

**'Calibrations'**

He comes to foggily. The room is dark, and bed is soft. His left arm is curled over the top of warm skin, and his brain finally kicks into gear. This is Shepard's apartment. One of the spare bedroom. And next to him is...his mandibles quirk at the sight of the slightly scaly blue skin, the freckled dots at the back of her neck. Liara sleeps soundly, shifting her hips slightly as she readjusts. Naked. Definitely naked, both him and her.

The night comes back to him in flashes. Setting up the tripwires and boobytraps in Shepard's apartment with Zaeed. Joining the Krogan boys in the Shepard game. The bottle of turian rum he'd finally rescued from Tali after she'd passed out in the toilet. Joining Kasumi, Liara and Vega for that game of poker. Betting drinks instead of creds. Then playing strip poker. Then...this. He runs a claw over her hip, and she snuggles back a little further into him. The buttoned-down archaelogist has a suprisingly wide wild streak.

Still, its the morning, and there's work to be done. His eyes flit across the room, searching for his clothes. They are well scattered. Liara tends to get pretty creative with those biotics in bed. He grins to himself in memory, and looks down at her sleeping off the exertions, but when he moves to get up, she turns out to be not so asleep.

"Really, Garrus? Running away in the morning?"

"Not running, Liara. I just wanted to get back to the Normandy for so-"

"By the Goddess, Vakarians, if you finish that sentence with the world calibrations, I'm going to stick you in a stasis field for the rest of the day." She turns around and plants a kiss against his mandibles. Perhaps his work could wait. Or perhaps...

"Don't supposed you could do with some...calibrations?"

* * *

><p><strong>WrexLiara**

**'Apologies'**

"Say it again, shadow Broker." His breath is hot against other scalp crest, his giant hand holding her bent over the terminal. The other hand is slowly tearing through her white trousers, strip by strip. Her knees tremble, and she can feel the slick wetness between her legs. She longs to bring them together, rub them for some delicious friction, but she knows if she moves even an inch, he will only prolong this agony. This delight.

"I'm...I'm sorry Wrex. I should have told- ahhh- you." Her voice is unsteady, and she gasps when a thick finger swipes between her legs, setting already sensitive nerves afire.

"Yes, you should have. Why didn't you, I wonder. Was it because you wanted this? Wanted to be punished?" His voice rumbles through, thick with amused lust, but also seeded with an edge of anger. She glances back over her shoulder at him, pale blue eyes meeting fierce red ones. He pushes her back with the hand on her neck, not gently. He is in charge here. He won't be denied.

"No. I was- I was too focussed on the Reapers. My assets within the STG never heard a whisper of this. I promise."'

His response is a thick, fat krogan tongue, rough as Illium sand, right across her crest. She clenches her legs together involuntarily as yet another shiver runs through her. That is an asari erogonous zone, though not one as well known as the...azure. He has done this before. She is even more excited by the prospect.

"Perhaps you are telling the truth, T'Soni. Though incompetence is barely more acceptable than deception." He spins her around, drops her to her knees, then unbuckles his waist armour. His quad hangs in front of her, enormous and musky.

"I will accept your apologies, on the behalf of the krogan people. I suspect it will take more than one."

* * *

><p><strong>Kal'ReegarFemShep**

**'Rannochian Seas'**

The message pings on her comconsole just minutes before they are about jump out from the Citadel for Rannoch. Eager to take a break from the depressing report she is composing for the Counci, Jane immediately opens. And smiles as she sees the name of the sender, green eyes dancing. It is terse, but meaningful. Just the style of the man who wrote it.

"Jane,

Rumours floating around you might be headed our way. Can't say too much, but suffice to say the situation is...complicated. You'll definitely be up against some of the Admiralty board. Others might be unexpected allies. Nonetheless, I have fond memories of your last visit to the Migrant Fleet. If you're interested, and still unattached, let me know. I might be able to sneak away from my post for a few hours to visit the Normandy.

Keelah knows this might be the last chance we get. I heard about Earth and Palaven. I know you're fighting as hard as you can. Wish I could be by your side. Watching you on Haestrom, and then face down Admiralty Board...well, you know how I felt about that. Still feel the same way. I find myself thinking about you at the oddest time. Your red hair. Eyes the colour of Rannochian seas.

Am putting myself on a course of immuno-boosters, just in case.  
>Be in touch regardless,<br>Keelah'selai  
>Kal"<p>

Jane smiled to herself as she reminisced about their last meeting. It had been...memorable. She would definitely need to find a free hour or three to invite that man over to her cabin again. Captain's prerogative.

* * *

><p><strong>KasumiJavik**

**'Primitives'**

He lets his hand rest on the dark cherry wood of the table, slightly tentative at first as always. Luckily, the memories here are muted. Courage, honour, forthrightness...Shepard's old commander had some noble qualities for a primitive. Even fainter is a hint of femininity, intelligence mixed with grace. Neither of them had spent much time here, clearly. His four eyes flick over the soldier, Vega, explaining the rules of the game. Something about bluffing the enemy. Good, a skill he can respect, at least. Liara sits with her lips pursed, sky blue eyes studying her cards and not him for once. The asari is relentlessly curious, and yet oddly reluctant to actually press him with her questions. As if she no longer appreciates hs answers. He cannot blame her. The Empire had become a dark place by his time.

Something catches his eyes. A flicker of movement. But no one is there. An asssassin? Surreptitiously, he readies his biotics. eyes scanning the room. Ahh, there it is again, at Shepard's bookshelf. Now he knows what to look for, how light bends around...the human female. This "Kasumi" again. A thief, no less! Really, Shepard does tolerate some nonsense in his companions. Back in the Empire, he would have her thrown out of the airlock with nary a thought.

He sees her float closer to their table, lithe form undulating as she takes the seat. The other primitives are not even aware of her presence. Fools. His eyes can discern her well now, her hands moving nimbly to relieve Vega from some of his...chips. He doesn't even notice. Javik, on the other hand, cannot keep his eyes off her. Maybe its the drinks he's had. Maybe its the fact he is once more facing the end of a cycle. This time, he does not care for stasis pods. He will go down fighting. Go down living.

Maybe its time to find out if there is something the primitives are good at.

* * *

><p><strong>Kal'ReegarAshley**

**'Window Shopping'**

"I wouldn't go for that one, ma'am."

Ashley puts down the Armax Model V Thermal Scope attachment, and looks up at the quarian who has interrupted her. He's tall and broad-shouldered, with two inquisitive eyes meeting her own. The voice is deep, and measured, and makes the base of stomach curl and tingle. Not quite what she'd expected to run into during a shopping excursion with the Normandy back for a short visit to the Citadel. He wears the body suit with insignia of the Migrant Fleet Marines, and under that suit are some serious muscles. She tears her eyes away before it becomes outright leering, and back to the showroom.

"Really? Why not? Its lightweight, its not proprietary tech- means I can put it on my Mantis or my Incisor or my Widow- and it won't break the bank." She shrugs her shoulders at the fellow, but flicks a quick glance at him to see his reaction. Shepard may have wrought an impossible peace on Rannoch, but it was still strange to see Quarian units on their way to the front already. Alongside geth in some cases, no less. One of their ships must've decided to stop by the Citadel too.

"Oh, yes, on paper its a good buy. But I've used it in the field. The variable zoom functionality is screwy, and under certain temperature conditions, both hot and cold extremes, it can lead to misalignment with barrel. Bucket of laughs that was, when I was trying to headshot cloaked Geth Hunters." He moves slightly closer to her, to point out where its flawed, and suddenly her breath hitches. Even though he isn't exactly in her personal space, she is aware of him, of his lithe movement and large gloved hands.

"Is that right? Got a recommendation then...?"

"Lieutenat Kal'Reegar, Migrant Fleet Marines. And yes. Try the Kassa Headshot Series V instead. Its slightly more expensive, but well worth it." This time he does step into personal space, leaning over her shoulder to bring up his recommendation on the console counter, fingers brushing over hers, lingering slightly longer than necessary. She resists the temptation to lean back against him, feel those muscles for herself. But still. Its shore leave. Its the end of the world. Who knows when she might get another chance to...have a little fun.

"You got some time for a...hands-on demonstration, Lieutenant? I have access to a firing range."

"Yes ma'am. Lead the way."

* * *

><p><strong>MShepSolana+Garrus**

**'First Sight'**

"So, who're we waiting for, Garrus?" Shepard leaned over the balcony of the Presidium Commons, watched the hubbub with keen eyes. He had some time to kill before his appointment with Udina in the afternoon, and Garrus had invited him to come along and meet someone beforehand. The turian stood next to him, scanning the thronging crowd.

"Oh, you'll see before long."

Shepard turned to quirk his eyebrow at Garrus, but his friend had that smirk on his face. The I-know-something-you-don't. No point trying to get anything more out of him, so Shepard shrugged and turned back to people watching. The Citadel was filled with refugees and soldiers from all parts of the galaxy now. There walked an asari commando team, in their leathers, one of them limping heavily on crutches and assisted by two of the others. Three salarians walked past behind him, quietly bickering about whether Sanctuary seemed a good option or not. A human-asari couple below, simply holding hands and looking out over the Citadel. The cost of the war already, and it was only going to rise from here. The stakes he was playing for.

Movement at the edge of the concourse caught Shepard's eye. He turned to watch a lithe turian figure walk up the steps. She had pale grey skin, and dark blue markings on face. There was a certain sway to her steps and waist that was more than a little entrancing. He nudged Garrus with an elbow, nodding towards the woman.

"Check that out, Garrus. I haven't seen a turian woman in what feels like forever. That waist. Those legs. Mmmmhmmm. Hey wait, is she wearing the same facepaint as you?"

A three-fingered hand thuds across the back of his head.

"That's my sister you ass."

* * *

><p><strong>MShepTraynor**

**'Dare'**

The taste of Skyllian whiskey invaded his mouth along with her tongue, smokey and rich and intoxicating. She was more aggressive than he was expecting, and momentarily was on the back foot as she leaned into him, hands on either side of that square jawline. But it didn't last long, as within moments he turned the tables on her, pushing back, pushing her up against the wall, his hands on her hips tongues duelling, lips locked hard. Somewhere behind him he heard a wolf-whistle, probably Joker, though it was just a fleeting thought.

Her hands were now hooked around his waist, and he nudged a thigh between her legs almost out of habit rather than anything else.

"Time's up, Commander!"

They parted almost ruefully, his sky blue eyes meeting her chocolate brown ones. She had a small grin on her face, and he matched it as they untangled themselves on the sofa of his apartment.

"Well?" Ash's voice was more than a little peeved, even his drunk ass could tell that. Ooops. Gonna have to make up for it later.

"You can keep him, Eltee. I still, uhm, prefer the sound of EDI's voice." She winked at him as she went back to her spot in the circle around the drinking game, vocally smirking with that posh British accent of hers. He'd never expected drunken Truth or Dare with his crew to come down to this. "Though now he really owes me a toothbrush."


End file.
